BootsnAll Travel Network



Jumping the Shark

Hi all! Well, I’m here in Mozambique, writing about all the stuff I’ve done two weeks ago already…

I’ll start with the shark dive! We were able to do it in an area called the Gansbaai, about two hours east of Cape Town. Since the weather had been so bad, the sea was extra-mega choppy, and at least nine people out of the 22 who went out were barfing their guts out by the time we got to the site. I, on the other hand was sitting in the front of the boat, loving it! Me = tuff chick. So, we got out there, and the cage that you get into is shaped like a loaf of bread, with an open top. Five people can get in at once, so everyone wetsuited up, put on masks and jumped in. As soon as the boat stopped, there were sharks circling, which gives credence to the argument that they’re becoming used to associating humans with food, but never mind.

So we all jumped in and the sharks were RIGHT THERE, literally inches away. We saw 4-5 Great Whites, the largest of which was around 12 feet long: babies. It was so cool though, right up there with skydiving as ‘most exciting thing I’ve ever done.’

Left Cape Town the next day on the Intercape bus, which is, contrary to all the “take the Baz Bus or you’ll be killed,” a perfectly safe and luxurious way to travel. The Baz Bus is this shuttle they’ve set up for backpackers that picks you up and drops you off at the hostels, but it also costs three times more than the regular bus. Plus, they really use fear as a selling tactic, and I wasn’t having it: I didn’t come all this way to isolate myself from the culture I came to see. So, anyway, it’s been all public transportation for this girl. Stopped that first night in Knysna, pronounced Nize-nah, and it was pretty bo-ring. Met a few cool peeps in the hostel, did a lagoon cruise, and cruised on after two nights to Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa’s surfing mecca, once again on the Intercape bus. The first night stayed in a DEAD hostel. where there were three people including me; the owner locked up and left at 9pm. Actually, since it’s “winter” here, the whole route along the coast has been very, very quiet.

Jeffrey’s Bay: Spent the first night in the dead hostel, then moved the next day to the par-tay place, Island Vibe, where I experienced two firsts: surfing and bedbugs. The surfing was so, like tubular, dudes, it almost makes me want to move off to Hawaii and be a full-time surfer chick, seriously. So I (and about 10 others) had a two-hour lesson, I stood up on the board a few times, and lived my Blue Crush dream. Next, the bedbugs: so I had to leave the hostel at 4:30am to catch the bus, and I didn’t want to rustle this little silk sleeping bag I have and wake people, so I just slept on their sheet: big mistake. I awoke COVERED in bites, all over my shoulders and arms; it looks like the chicken pox and itches just as much. Barf. I didn’t even know it was bedbugs till I got to the next hostel in a little nowhere called Cintsta, and they were like, “Where did you get those?” General freak-out ensued, as I washed everything in scalding water and coated myself in antihistamine cream. Luckily there was another woman staying in Cintsta who had gotten the shit chewed out of her too, so we commiserated. Spent three relaxing days in that little burg, tried to surf again but was a little big for my britches as the undertow almost dragged me to Antarctica. Maybe I should take another lesson. OK, all, off to my busy day of snorkeling and eating fruit on the beach. More later!



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-5 responses to “Jumping the Shark”

  1. Kady says:

    The latest issue of Saveur has an article on Thai food:

    Southern Heat
    The bright, balanced cooking of Thailand’s southern provinces reflects the region’s multiculturalism. In fishing villages like Thale Noi and bustling towns like Trang, flavors from China, Malaysia, and India mingle on the plate.

    That includes a sidebar on how shrimp paste is in EVERYthing they cook.

  2. Nicolle says:

    Becky –
    You really are the coolest and bravest person I know! Rock on with your bad self.
    I think it is totally awesome that you didn’t believe the hype and stayed a true traveler (vs. a tourist) even when people were trying to use fear tactics!
    You GO GIRL!!
    Miss you!

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